Gotahold Brewing has chosen the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) as their #tipsfortransformation benefactor during April, National Poetry Month. Poetry Happy Hours will be held every Thursday in April at 5:30 pm in the beer forest at Gotahold. The readings and performances will benefit the WCDH scholarship fund and celebrate National Poetry Month.
Opened in 2020 by Wendy Reese Hartman and Dave Hartman, the mission of Gotahold Brewing is to change customers’ perception of beer while inspiring deeper connection, compassion, and positive action in our world. Through #tipsfortransformation, Gotahold donates the tips received every Thursday to a worthy cause. Reese Hartman said, “Dave and I donate 100% to the nonprofit organization of the month. We are committed to supporting social, environmental, and economic justice. The organizations we work with are aligned in some way and are also local.” Gotahold Brewing is located at 408 W Van Buren in Eureka Springs. Or visit them online at https://gotahold.beer.
When asked how she selected WCDH as a benefactor of the #tipsfortransformation, Reese Hartman said, “I am an author. I have never been formally trained in poetry, but it is the language of my heart; it is how I have communicated thoughts and feelings I could not articulate otherwise. As far as supporting WCDH, I've participated in workshops through the WCDH and know first-hand what a valuable resource this is for writers. Also, our town has an opportunity to learn from and meet authors and poets from all over, making our tiny town feel so much larger. Books expand our world, teach us, inspire us, and make the world a better place.”
Poetry Happy Hours will be held at 5:30 pm every Thursday in April in the beer forest at Gotahold Brewing. Some of the presenters will have their books available for sale. They can be signed upon request, and a portion of the proceeds will further benefit the WCDH scholarship fund.
Poetry Happy Hours will feature the following poets.
April 7 – Sandra Jackson-Opoku, award-winning author and poet, and Melan White, winner of the WCDH “Celebrate! Maya Project” fellowship for young writers on social justice issues.
April 14 – Jamie-Lee Morris; writer, poet and spoken word artist who believes in the power of storytelling and whose inspiration to write comes from her own personal growth as well her Jamaican ancestors.
April 21 – Lisa Braxton, award-winning novelist and author of The Talking Drum and Emmy-nominated former television journalist.
April 22 – Annie Newcomer, whose first poetry chapbook, Comets: Relationships that Wander, will be published this year by Finishing Line Press, and John Hoppenthaler, a professor of English/Creative Writing and Contemporary Writers Series Co-Director at East Carolina University and author of three books of poetry.
WCDH Executive Director, Michelle Hannon, said, “We are honored to be celebrating National Poetry Month as the recipient of Gotahold Brewing’s Thursday #tipsfortransformation again this year. It’s a privilege to be able to share the diverse and engaging poetry of such talented poets with the Eureka Springs community and our visitors. Last year we raised over $1,400 for scholarships to support emerging writers and those from underrepresented communities. The Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow would like to express our sincere gratitude to Wendy and Dave at Gotahold for their generosity.”
The WCDH scholarship fund was established in December 2019. Since then, it has awarded over $17,000 to writers to further subsidize over 300 residency nights. Scholarships are awarded on an as-needed basis depending on availability. If you are unable to attend a Poetry Happy Hour but would like to support a WCDH scholarship fund, please visit https://www.writerscolony.org/give-to-wcdh-scholarship-fund.
The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to nurture writers of all genres, backgrounds, and levels of experience in a supportive environment that builds community, energizes creative expression, stimulates new thinking, and optimizes productivity. Since opening its doors to writers in 2000, the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow has made a lasting impact on the arts and literary communities hosting over 1,700 writers from 48 states and 13 countries. For more information, please visit www.writerscolony.org or call Michelle Hannon or Jeanne Glass at (479)253-7444.